The absolute closure of Gaza
was imposed by Israel following the Hamas takeover in June
2007. For more than three years and a half, this most
extreme form of closure has been continuously applied to the
so-called “hostile entity” that is the Gaza Strip,
cutting off 1.7 million individuals from the outside
world.

Gazans are not allowed to travel, with few
exceptions mainly for humanitarian reasons.

Imports to
Gaza have been prohibited, with only limited quantities of
basic goods, mainly food, allowed entry for
‘humanitarian’ reasons. Israel has also imposed a total
ban on the exports of the Gaza Strip’s products.

This
100-pages report details the devastating impact of the
current absolute closure of Gaza on the socio-economic level
and the denial of the fundamental human rights of the entire
population of Gaza.

Such an impact have been exacerbated
by Israel’s 27 December 2008-18 January 2009 military
operation (codenamed “operation Cast Lead”) which caused
extensive death and injuresof Palestinian civilians, and
destruction of houses and civilian infrastructure, including
schools, hospitals, and industry. In the aftermath of the
offensive, Israel illegally refused to open the borders of
Gaza, thus impeding the passage of goods necessary for
recovery and reconstruction. Nothing has substantially
changed even after the alleged ‘easing’ of the closure,
announced by Israel following the deadly attack on the
humanitarian flotilla en route to Gaza on 31 May 2010.

The
half of the people of Gaza is now unemployed and 4 out of 5
families are dependent on ‘humanitarian’ aid. 95% of the
industrial establishments have closed or suspended their
work due to the restrictions placed on the import of raw
materials and as a result of the inability to export their
products. According to UN sources, the poverty levels in the
Gaza Strip are among the highest in the world.

By denying
a people their ability to work and their right to move; by
depriving families of the ability to rebuild their homes,
which have been reduced to rubble; and by forcing
individuals to give up generations-old family traditions, an
entire population is being reduced to a ‘humanitarian
problem’.

The whole of Gaza’s civilian population is
being punished for acts for which they bear no
responsibility. The closure constitutes a collective
punishment imposed in clear violation of Israel’s
obligations under international humanitarian law.

The
situation in Gaza cannot be isolated from the overall
context of the occupation of the Palestinian territory.
Equally, the closure policy is not a new phenomenon or one
that is limited to the Gaza Strip. Israel has subjected the
occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) to an illegal policy of
harsh restrictions for almost two decades.

This report
details the Israeli authorities’ responsibilities for the
implementation of this illegal closure policy, which
violates fundamental principles of international
humanitarian law and the most basic human rights of the
Palestinian population.

The International community has
the duty to take measures to put an end to the closure of
Gaza, which is inherently illegal and criminal in its
nature. The High Contracting Parties to the Geneva
Conventions have the duty to respect and ensure respect for
the Conventions.This entails a duty to investigate and
prosecute those responsiblefor grave breaches of the
Conventions and to bring the perpetrators to justice before
their own national courts (Art. 147 IV GC).

By failing to
do so the international community bears responsibility for
the manufactured ‘humanitarian’ crisis that is
destroying Gaza, and for the serious violations of
international law perpetrated against the Palestinian
civilian population.

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